Sharif's cabinet members to be sworn in today

About a dozen members of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's cabinet will be sworn in at a ceremony in the presidency this evening, officials said.
Though there was no official word on the swearing-in ceremony, officials said several of Sharif's key aides will be sworn in as ministers by President Asif Ali Zardari.
As reported earlier, Sharif will retain the foreign affairs portfolio and will be aided by former envoy Tariq Fatemi, who will be appointed an advisor to the Prime Minister.
Senior PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Khwaja Asif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pervaiz Rashid, Khwaja Saad Rafiq and Khurram Dastagir Khan are among those expected to be sworn in today.

PML-N sources told PTI that Sharif would expand his cabinet after the Islamic holy month of Ramzan.
In the first phase, only Sharif's close aides would be sworn in as ministers to look after key portfolios that would enable the government to tackle pressing issues like the energy crisis and the economic meltdown.

PML-N leader Khwaja Asif, expected to be made Power and Water Minster, told a TV talk show last night that the party had drawn up plans to address the energy crisis.
"We have decided to form a Cabinet Committee on Energy to be headed by the Prime Minister," he said.

Asif said Ishaq Dar would be the Finance Minister and a member of the committee.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is expected to get the petroleum and natural resources portfolio.